Leo released Perona's twin-tails and walked straight towards Gecko Moria.
Freed from his grasp, Perona immediately scrambled to Moria's side, her sobs intensifying.
"Lord Moria! Are you okay? Don't scare me~" Looking at Moria's torn and charred flesh, Perona's heart ached terribly.
As if hearing Perona's cries, Moria struggled to open his eyes, forcing a pained grin. "Perona... I'm fine."
The slight movement aggravated his wounds, making him grimace in pain.
"Waaahhh~ Lord Moria, please don't talk anymore," Perona waved her hands frantically.
Rhythmic footsteps approached from behind. Perona turned, shielding Moria with her body. "You... you bad guy! Don't hurt Lord Moria anymore!"
Leo ignored Perona, stepping deliberately towards Moria. "Moria. Do you recognize reality now?!"
Moria gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring with heavy, ragged breaths.
"Moria, the man you are now is no longer the ambitious, spirited Moria from ten years ago. Look at yourself—arrogant, delusional, hiding in dark corners, clinging to life like a rat."
"With your current strength, you are utterly unworthy of the title 'Warlord of the Sea'!!"
Leo's voice turned icy cold. The Demon Blade Kaito was drawn in an instant!
Shing!
The blade reflected Leo's stern face, radiating killing intent!!!
"What... what are you doing?!!" Perona shuddered, her voice trembling.
"No... please... I beg you, don't hurt Lord Moria anymore..." Perona broke down completely, wailing without a care for her image.
The girls in the distance were slightly moved.
But... they didn't dare intervene.
Leo ignored Perona, walking up to Moria and looking down at him. He slowly raised the Demon Blade Kaito.
"NO!!!!" Perona let out a piercing shriek, spreading her arms to block Leo's path.
This usually spoiled, somewhat bratty Ghost Princess, now had tears overflowing her eyes, her delicate face etched with pure desperation.
Perona stared死死 (fixedly) at Leo, her voice quivering as she pleaded, "Lord Leo, please, I beg you, don't kill Lord Moria, okay?!!"
"As long as you spare Lord Moria, I'll agree to any condition! I'll serve you, I'll do anything! Please... I'm really begging you... don't hurt Lord Moria..."
Perona clung tightly to Leo's arm, trying to stop him from advancing further.
Leo looked at Perona with a complex expression, sighing inwardly.
He knew full well how important Moria was to Perona.
When Perona was very young, Moria had found and taken her in, raising her. He wasn't her biological father, but he might as well have been.
In their daily life, Moria doted on Perona excessively, treating her like a precious treasure.
This was reflected in the original story too; when Perona learned Moria was still alive, she immediately left Kuraigana Island to search for him over a great distance.
Leo hadn't intended to force Perona's submission this way. It was just that Moria had genuinely tried to kill him.
Towards enemies, Leo never showed mercy.
But at this moment, he truly hesitated.
He didn't want to give up this twin-tailed loli.
Most importantly, even if he used the slave mark on Perona, she would still remember these events.
If things proceeded after such a scene... it would always feel awkward.
Seeming to sense Leo's hesitation, Perona gently shook his arm. "Lord Leo, please, I beg you, don't kill Lord Moria, okay?!!!"
Sigh~
With a helpless sigh, Leo sheathed the Demon Blade Kaito. He looked coldly at Moria, his voice frosty. "Moria. For Perona's sake, I won't kill you. But from this moment on, you must submit to me. This is the only choice that lets you keep your life."
"Leo, you—" Mmph~
Before Moria could finish, the injured Hogback, gritting through his pain, scrambled over to Moria and quickly covered his mouth.
He then threw himself to his knees before Leo, kowtowing with a卑微 (humble) posture. "Lord Leo! Lord Moria is willing to submit! All of us are willing to submit!"
"If you are still angry, then kill me instead! I am willing to die in Lord Moria's place! I only ask that you spare Lord Moria and Perona!"
"I beg you~"
Leo was momentarily speechless.
The scene of Zoro and Sanji being willing to die for Luffy on Sabaody Archipelago instantly flashed in his mind.
The two situations were何其相似 (so very similar).
Seeing Perona and Hogback shielding him, Moria could no longer hold back his tears.
"Lord Moria, please agree, I beg you! Please agree with Lord Leo, okay?!! Perona doesn't want to watch you die!" Perona choked back sobs, kneeling before Moria, pleading desperately.
She knew Moria's stubborn nature well, but if that word "no" really left his lips, Leo would truly kill him.
Moria looked at Perona, and finally slowly closed his eyes.
Perona's eyes lit up. She immediately turned to Leo,惊喜 (overjoyed). "Lord Leo! Lord Moria agrees!"
"Moria." Leo's low voice sounded again.
Hogback nervously swallowed, carefully moving his hand away from Moria's mouth.
Moria opened his eyes幽然 (gloomily), speaking as one who had accepted his fate. "Leo... I am willing to submit to you."
Hearing this, the expression on Leo's face softened. He walked up to Moria.
"Lo... Lord Leo, what are you..." Perona watched Leo nervously, wanting to move but not daring to.
"I won't hurt him. Moria, don't resist."
Under Moria's bewildered gaze, Leo directly imprinted the slave mark into his mind.
"Ah!!" Due to his severe injuries, Moria's body convulsed violently, his face contorting in pain, but it quickly returned to normal.
"Mas—"
"Call me Captain from now on," Leo interrupted before Moria could finish.
The scene left Perona and Hogback utterly confused.
Immediately after, to their indescribable shock, Leo used his Heal-Heal Fruit powers and completely healed all of Moria's injuries in less than a minute.
Moria stared dumbfounded at his vanished wounds, feeling as if he had just awoken from a dream.
Just as Leo recruited Gecko Moria...
Tashigi's battle with Ryuma had reached its climax.
"Judgment Sword!!" Tashigi's gaze was cold as ice. Her physical strength and Armament Haki poured continuously into Yubashiri.
A massive sword apparition descended from above, slashing towards Ryuma with irresistible force!!
Ryuma, not to be outdone, raised the black blade Shusui high.
"Revolutionary Waltz: Forward Strike!!!"
The same technique, when executed by Ryuma, could unleash far greater power.
Swish~
The two charged towards each other simultaneously, their bodies交错 (crossing).
Tashigi's eyes narrowed. Yubashiri swept past Ryuma's chest.
Clang!
"You lose," Tashigi slowly let out a breath.
Yubashiri was sheathed!
Ryuma fell to the ground accordingly.
Tashigi picked up the black blade Shusui that had fallen to the ground, caressing it lovingly.
This was her third sword.
With that, all battles concluded.
The entire zombie army was wiped out. Ryuma was dead.
The moment Ryuma died, the shadow within him transformed into a stream of light and returned to Brook.
Looking at the shadow on the ground he hadn't seen in over a decade, Brook laughed excitedly.
"Yohohohohoho~ It's back! My shadow is back!"
He had waited over ten years for this day.
Now he could finally leave this sunless hellhole and live under the sunlight again.
"Lord Leo! Thank you so much!" Brook hurried to Leo's front, expressing his gratitude in three quick steps.
If not for Leo's appearance, he probably would have been stuck in the Florian Triangle for the rest of his life.
Living alone, with only memories of the Rumbar Pirates and his longing for Laboon.
"I promised Laboon. Since your shadow is back, I'll take you to see Laboon now." Leo waved his hand, indicating Brook didn't need to stand on ceremony.
"Huh?!!"
"Lord Leo, how will you—"
"Yohohohohoho~"
Leo grabbed Brook's shoulder and teleported instantly!!!
Twin Capes.
Outside the lighthouse cottage.
Crocus, as usual, wore his flip-flops, legs crossed, sipping tea while reading the newspaper.
Suddenly~
"Yohohohoho~"
Accompanied by the strange laughter, Leo and Brook simultaneously appeared before Crocus.
Crocus was so startled he fell backward off his chair.
"Crocus, I brought Brook back. I'm off."
Teleport, gone!!
Arrived in a hurry, left in a hurry.
Not far away, an excited roar shook the sky.
Brook's body froze. He turned mechanically, tears instantly streaming down his face.
"Laboon~"
"ROAR~"
Thriller Bark.
Perona hadn't yet collected her thoughts.
Everything that happened today, and the abilities Leo displayed that were beyond her understanding, would take her days to process.
"Still upset?!!" Leo's voice suddenly sounded by her ear. Perona's delicate body trembled. After a moment, she quickly shook her head. "No, Lord Leo."
Leo smiled slightly and said no more.
"Moria, the body of the ancient giant Oars doesn't have a shadow yet, right?!"
Moria was taken aback, then nodded.
For years, he had been searching for a suitable shadow for Oars.
But none had satisfied him.
The opponents were either too weak, wasting Oars' body, or too strong, someone he simply couldn't defeat.
That's why it had been delayed until now.
"Captain, do you have a candidate in mind?!!" Moria's tone held a trace of anticipation.
He knew Leo wasn't just asking casually.
With his strength, he might truly find a shadow suitable for Oars, creating the most powerful zombie.
"A candidate?!!" Leo rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
Too many.
All the major faction leaders were suitable for Oars.
And he still had to go to the New World to recruit more beautiful women; conflict with them would be unavoidable.
Garp, Big Mom, Akainu... they were all on his list.
He'd just see who was unlucky enough to cross his path first.
Whoever it was, combined with their shadow and the body of the ancient giant Oars, would create a zombie of Admiral-level, or even Emperor-level, strength.
But this matter couldn't be rushed~
"I'll handle Oars' shadow. You take this for now." Leo handed the Observation Haki and Armament Haki training manuals to Moria.
"You were, after all, a man who challenged Kaido once. You must know a little of the two Haki types, right?!!"
Moria scratched his head awkwardly. "A little bit."
Leo nodded. "A little is enough. From now on, stay here and train according to these manuals."
"Destroy them immediately after you've learned them. Understood?!!"
Moria nodded like a chick pecking at rice. "Captain, don't worry. I promise to train hard and绝对不会 (absolutely not) let you down."
With the slave mark, Leo wasn't afraid of him causing trouble.
"Two more things. Sometime later, if a guy called 'Straw Hat' passes through here, don't bother him. Let him pass directly."
Leo wasn't sure if Luffy had reached the New World yet, or if he was staying on some island there.
But he was certain Luffy would go to Sabaody Archipelago. When that time came~
Moria nodded obediently.
Whatever the reason, the Captain said it, so he would do it.
Straw Hat kid, right? Noted.
"Second thing. The World Government is already very dissatisfied with you and plans to find an opportunity to eliminate you. Next time you see Donquixote Doflamingo, be extra wary of him."
The invisible man Absalom was already dead; there would be no one to save Moria this time.
Moria was shocked. The World Government was sending Doflamingo to kill him?!!
The Captain wouldn't lie to him.
Those bastards!!
"Don't worry, Captain. I won't let those guys succeed," Moria vowed, patting his chest confidently.
"Better not." Leo glanced around again at the dense piles of zombie corpses.
After the big battle, the entire Thriller Bark only held Gecko Moria's trio, the ancient giant Oars, and a few scattered zombies here and there.
"You take Hogback and clean this place up. I'm taking Perona and leaving."
Perona's head shot up, tear stains still on her face, looking somewhat为难 (troubled). "Captain, can I stay here a bit long—"
"Hmm?!!"
"I'll pack my things! I'll leave right away!!"
After giving Moria some final instructions, Leo took all the girls, including Perona, and left the Florian Triangle.
The environment here made him very uncomfortable; he didn't want to stay a minute longer.
After dinner.
All the girls tacitly left, returning to their respective rooms without a moment's delay.
Having been on the ship for a while, they were well aware of Leo's routines.
Today was another day for something new.
Perona stood in the bright lounge, feeling uneasy.
The events of the day still haunted her. Facing Leo alone, she was still a little scared.
Recalling the scene where Leo was about to kill Moria, Perona trembled like a frightened little rabbit.
"Captain, I... I want to go rest now. Is there a room for me here?" Perona wrung her hands in front of her, asking cautiously.
"Perona, am I that scary?! Enough to frighten you like this?!" Perona slowly looked up,恰好 (just in time to) meet Leo's gaze, then quickly lowered her head, avoiding his eyes.
That fearless, mischievous Ghost Princess seemed truly spooked.
But his hostility had only been directed at Moria.
"Come on, I'll show you to your room. I'll teach you a few things along the way."
Perona looked up, puzzled. "Captain, maybe tomorrow? It's too late now."
Leo leaned close to Perona's ear and whispered a few words.
Perona's little face instantly turned red as an apple, and she bit her lower lip.
"Captain, you..." Perona blushed, stammering and unable to get the words out.
She finally understood why the beautiful women on the ship had looked at her differently during dinner.
In a pirate crew with only the Captain as a man and all the crew members women... she should have realized it sooner.
After all, she was no longer a simple-minded 17 or 18-year-old girl. She was 23.
She had heard of it, but never tried it, and didn't know how it felt.
Pah! Pah! Pah! What am I thinking!
Perona kicked the ground漫不经心地 (absentmindedly) with her right foot, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Captain... please don't be so harsh on Lord Moria in the future. I... I'll listen to whatever you say."
"Really? You'll listen to whatever I say?"
"Mmm-hmm~"
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T/N :
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